Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-20
AGRICULTURAL.
internal. Revenue Tsxes-A Second Arli.
Gle from Professor b.
Puryear.

forms OF tobacco manufactured for
home consumption. We have not
maintained, for we do not believe, that
the entire removal Of this tax would ct
once put tobacco on q boom. Ii is low
because of these taxcs, but not only for
this reason. 1t is low in part, like all
other agricultural products, because
other legislation has given advantages
to the few TO the injury OF the many.
We shall notice this legislation as we
proceed with this series, and only
allude to il here 10 prevent the posi-
bilityof misconception.
We think the time has come for the
| immediate abolition OF the entire inter
nal-revenue system. The Secretary OF
the Treasury reports On annual surplus
of 1926, 900, 900. Eight millions of this
| surplus would remain uncancelled even
If the whole amount derived from in
ternal revenue amounting last year, IN
round numbers, to $4,000, 0O0) were
| eliminated from the income OF the
| Government. Is it not strange-pass-
ing strange-that we should continue
a vexations and odious system Of taxa
| ton, which has no warrant in the Fed
| eral Constitution, and which is repug-
nant TO the genius of free institutions?
| The Government does not need the
money, does not know what to
90 with it it is only fund
for corruption on enticement from
honest and productive industry; a
standing menace to republican in
stitutions. But it is needed, most sore
" needed, by the hardy .toilers who
pay it, in the supreme struggle for life.
The whole tax on "spi1its for the
year ending June 30, 1886, was $685.
| 0g2. 263. In this sum is included the
tax (s1, 400,39D on fruit-brandies--
"spirits distilled from apples, peaches,
grapes" This fruit brandy tax is pc
culiarly hard and oppressive, and Is vast
ly damaging to public morality. 1t ren-
| ders the manufacture of pure fruit
I brandy by the owners of the fruit embar-
RAISING, costly, and very often impossi-
bic, and so gives to those who have
large funds invested monopoly of the
business. Let us see. As we under
stand the concrete more promptly and
clearly than we do the abstract, L will
mention a case which few years ago
came under my own observation. A
gentleman who, like thousands Of
others, had been suddenly reduced
by public causes from great opulence
TO extreme poverty was renting O
farm. well stocked with apple-trees,
in Southside Virginia He was IN
the decline of life, OF weak ply
siaue, and with family dependent
upon his labor for support. He at
tempted the hard duty before him by
cultivating little ground in corn and
tobacco. He was too poor TO hire la
bcrers to help him in his work. His
fare was the coarsest and the cheapest.
Tea and coffee we're banished luxu-
ries-and yet this man, who had known
the Injuries of wealth, who had passed
through the hardest vicissitudes OF for,
tune with unimpeached integrity, had
to encounter the terrible realities OF
his position, which brought him to 3
premature grave, while hundreds OF
dollars in the shape of apples were
daily rotting before his eyes. In
one way, and one only, could he
make his apples available for the sup
port of his family. There was no sale
for them in his neighborhood, and his
farm was thirty-three miles from a rail'
road. To have shipped them to Rich
mond would have brought him in debt
The expenses of hauling to the depot
and railroad freight would have more
than doubled the proceeds of sale. tie
could convert them into money, and
hence into strength and health and
comfort for his suffering family, IL
one way only, and from that the law
virtually estopped him. If he pro
ceeds TO distill, he must give a heavy
bond, with ample security, for ms good
behavior. The poor man, who does
not handle five dollars at time in tho
wear. stops short at once. He can
give the bond. But if this difficulty be
overcome. he yet has others and great
er still to encounter. Before he car
sell he must buy, if he break bulk, tho
privilege of selling, and pay ninety
cents per gallon as tax. Why, it looks
TO him lis he far from the truth = thai
he is required to buy at high pnce
and 70 pay the money in advance, hi
own brandy made from his own apples
bv his own labor, at his own expense
and then TO pay for the privilege o
bnving it. Nor is this all. Officers o
fine Internal Revenue Department mus
visit his farm, "survey" his plant, de
termine the capacity of his still, anC
fix the tax according to their judgmen
of the amount of brandy he is capable
of making. Such hard conditions anC
such humiliating inquisition compe
the utter abandonment OF the scheme
The apples must rot as they fall, anC
the owner, unstrung and hopeless, re
turns to his profitless toll.
And so on large number OF OIL
farms fruit brandy, from few gallon
to a few barrels, could be manufac
tured, which would add vastly to tn
simple comforts of those humble homes
Nor would the article be adulterate'
or poisoned. There would neithe
he the temptation to do 1t no
profit in doing it. BUT neither tn
temptation nor the profit is lack
ing in those huge monopolist estao
Gshments which exist largely be
cause the law kills ont the com
petition of smaller manufacturers
. The tax does them good, for it free
them from competition they cal
comply with all the requirements o
the law, or bride its officers, it ma,
; be. to wink at it's violations Will
eyerv motive exists that appeals t
cupidity to lower the cost of prOduc
ton by the use OF yillainous drugs
The effect of the law is to create i'm
mense profits for the large establish
ments that manufacture vile, perhap
poisonous compound, and to embai
! rass at every step or deter altogethe
the smaller manufacturer who wonl
turn out only q pure article. Th
. great public is the sufferer.
Another effect, however, may FOL
r low. and does follow. The law put
before men terrible temptation I
. crime. Consider the poor moon
- | a,,,la- froac are lI